The Black Death
by RunYouCleverBoyAndRememberMe
Summary: 20 years ago, the TARDIS crashed in Sherlock's back garden. But Sherlock doesn't remember. When they meet again, they must team up to stop the two biggest villains in history destroying the world. forgot to put this before, it is pre-reninbach for Sherlock and John, but somewhere in series 7 for the Doctor and Clara. could be after The Name Of The Doctor. spoiler free!
1. Chapter 1- As If You Have A Choice

**Authors note  
hi everyone! This is my first ever fan fiction, so please review! i just want to pay some credit to BroardwaysStarlettQueen and her story The Games Of Broken Stars, without which I would not have been able to write this. Her plot is vastly different to mine, but if you read her story you will notice similarities. Do read her story it is fantastic! My English teacher says that the way you know your work is good is if people copy your ideas. Enjoy the story and review**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Doctor who, or Sherlock. If I did, I would not leave you hanging for the 50th or series 3!**

The 6 year old boy sat on his small bed, staring at the sky. He didn't really understand the stars, they did not interest him. He much preferred chemistry. Bu tonight there was something that made him put down his book and look out of his window. It showed the back of his garden, and the forest beyond. His alert greeny blue eyes flickered over the woods. No there was something wrong. But what was it? He leaned out a thin pale hand and opened the window. The light night breeze ruffled his dark curly hair, and the moonlight sharpened a thin and already handsome face. No there was definitely something wrong. That patch of sky… the rest of the sky was black, but there, in the sky, was a square of blue. It was getting larger and closer. He gasped it wasn't a patch of sky, it was a box! A blue box! The boy watched as it spun and swirled through the air, then with an almighty crash, it landed with a bounce in the wood. Almost immediately, the boy had thrown on his dressing gown and was scaling quickly and efficiently down the drainpipe, and over the fence. Once in the wood, he pulled a small torch from his pocket and set off through the woods. He found what he was looking for soon enough. A police public call box, lying on its side, with 3 figures lying next to it. One was a young woman, with short brown hair. She was lying face down, as if she had recovered from the crash and had tried to crawl away. He noted this and every other thing about this girl. His eyes didn't miss a detail. The next was a man in a curious tweed jacket and brown floppy hair, who was lying on his back. He was holding a small pencil like device in one hand that was buzzing quietly. He was itching to see what it was, but there was still one person to examine. He was young but white-haired. He was somehow different from the others. Evil seemed to radiate from every pore in his body. Every instinct was screaming for the boy to run, but he didn't. He tentively reached out a long finger and touched the man's face. Instantly his head was filled with the sound of drums.

_Dun dun dun dun, dun dun dun dun. _

He stumbled backwards, and was caught by the man in tweed.

"It hurts!" he gasped aloud. The tweed man hadn't heard.

"Clara, catch him!" he shouted, as he lunged forward towards the white-haired man, who had jumped to his feet and was laughing manically. A green sphere burst from his green pencil device, and enfolded the man. The boy, having been thrown backwards, barrelled into the pretty young woman-Clara. She caught him before he fell.

"Shh shh it's ok now" she whispered.

He was shaking, he was scared. He was never scared.  
"Caring is not an advantage" isn't that what his brother said? But he couldn't help it. He was sobbing now. A part of his brain was sitting back, and thinking logically. But his child brain had decided to encompass his body, and now he was sobbing, heaving, in time with the drums in his head.

"They hurt!" he sobbed "they hurt so badly!"

Clara just hugged him tight. The crazy man was still being held in the tweed man's green circle of light.

"You know you can't defeat me, Doctor!" the mad man shouted. "I am too powerful. Even if you destroy me, my trigger has been implanted into someone else. You have failed!" He spat.

The tweed man-the Doctor- turned a stared straight at him, which was hard to do, because his right arm held the pencil thing that was keeping the madman in the green bubble. Then he looked at Clara.

"Clara, remember when we first met them, the others, they knew who we were. He knew us! Could this be..?"  
Clara's eyes widened and she looked down at him.

"Clara, hold this!" shouted the Doctor. Clara took the pencil thing and the Doctor knelt down next to him.

"It's ok. I'm the Doctor. Here to help. What's your name?"

"Sherlock." Said Sherlock "Sherlock Holmes."

Clara and the Doctor shared elated looks.

"It's a paradox" she breathed

"wibbily wobbly-"started the Doctor

"Timey wimey!" finished Clara

Having been continuously laughing manically for the past 5 minutes of that exchange, the madman had stopped in time to hear the last part.

"Paradox?" he asked, suddenly looking worried. "What paradox? What do you mean?"

"I mean, Master that you don't understand. Look at the poor kid; you've put the trigger into. Its 20 years too early, so this poor child, this pure, innocent child, with those drums in his head, will have to live with it for the rest of his life"

"So?" the Master sneered

"So, look at him, Master. Really look"

The Master looked. His eyes seemed to bore into Sherlock's. It wasn't a nice feeling to say the least. It was full of hate and evil and greed. And then shock. Not Sherlock's shock, but the Masters. He let out a gasp of horror.

"No!"

"Yes! Do you not see? Yet again you see but do not observe." He turned and winked at Sherlock.

"You said that you didn't know how Morirty had placed the trigger in a human, or in whom. That's why you were looking for him! That's why you set a trap for him. That's why Moriarty was confused, because he had _never placed the trigger! _You did"

The green light intensified and the Master cried out in pain and disappeared.

"Doctor, Doctor, what happened?"

"A teleport"

"A teleport where?"

"The time travelling robot powered by minimised people!"

"The Tesalecta!" Clara cried

"They'll know what to do with him"

He turned and looked straight at Sherlock, who had his back pressed against a tree.

"Are you ok?" he asked

"Yeah" Sherlock answered, jolted from his shock.

"I-I" he started to speak, but collapsed to the round. The drums had come back with full force. Clara ran over and helped him onto her lap. He was shivering.

"Doctor is this really-?"

"Yeah this is 6 year old Sherlock"  
He knelt down and looked Sherlock straight in the eye

"You have a noise in your head" he was blunt and straight to the point. No more happiness or joy or pain. Just anger. But not at Sherlock. At the Master. Sherlock nodded.

"Listen to me Sherlock. I know you in your future. When I met you, you already knew who I was. But I had never met you. You will be so important one day Sherlock. But you can't live with those drums in your head."

"Can't you just take them out Doctor?"

"Yes, yes I could. But if I did so then none of what happened will happen. They will implant the trigger in someone else, and they won't be a good as resisting as he was. Or will be I suppose." The Doctor turned back to Sherlock.

"Sherlock, I am going to wipe your memory of tonight. It'll be ok. You'll see me again. I'll put a trigger, so when you see me again you will remember. Trust me, I know it works. But it'll keep the drums at bay, until-"

He was broken off by Clara's hand round his mouth

"Spoilers" She said.

Sherlock realised he had to. He couldn't live with the never ending drums. Did he really want that around for the next 20 years?

"Doctor?" he asked as the Doctor placed his hands on his face. "Am I ok? In the future. Am I cool, clever? Cos Mycroft says I'm not. I don't want to be useless"

"Sherlock" the Doctor smiled "you will be amazing"


	2. Chapter 2- And I Can Barely Look At You

20 years later. 6:15am

"John!"

No answer

"John!"

"What?" the annoyed voice of Doctor John Watson floated down the stairs. He was currently trying to get some sleep. His best friend, the one who had called his name, was Sherlock Holmes. The only consulting detective in the world. He was not in his bedroom, trying not to go to sleep. He was, as far as john knew, was trying to see how long a person could go without sleeping. He was 4 hours in and coping. Apparently a man's alibi depended on it. At least that's what Sherlock had said.

"John!" came an even louder shout.

"What!?"

"I need another coffee?"

"Get it yourself!"

"Walking will tire me, tiring me will make me fall asleep think John!"

There was a spring of a mattress and a yawning John Watson emerged from his bedroom and into the living room. When he saw what was in there he gave a little "eek!" of surprise and covered his eyes with his hands. He counted to 3 and peeked through his fingers, only to find that he hadn't imagined it after all. Sherlock was lying on the sofa, in his thinking position, wearing nothing except for a conveniently placed pillow.

"Oh God Sherlock!"

"Morning John"

"What the hell are you doing? Where are your clothes?"

"In the bedroom. I needed a change of scenery"

"Why are you not wearing any clothes?"

"Oh I don't know. I just felt like it."

"Sherlock-"John was cut off by the sound of Sherlock's mobile ringing. Before Sherlock could move John had picked up the phone shouting hurriedly

"I'll get it!" he answered it, listened for a moment then passed the phone to Sherlock

"It's Mycroft"

Sherlock groaned, but put the phone to his ear. Almost immediately his face turned from board to excited. John knew that face. It meant something interesting had come up. John watched Sherlock's face change again to a confused but intrigued expression.

"Ok I will" he said finally and hung up. He looked up and smiled at John

"The game is on!" he cried and before john could stop him, he had swung his long legs off the sofa and stood up. John gave another little "eeeekkkk!" and slapped his hands over his face. Sherlock strode past him, without a sound, striding into his bedroom. John, his hands still over his face, also tried to walk into his bedroom, but ended up walking into the coffee table.

10 minutes later they were both stepping out of Baker Street and into a cab.

"So Sherlock" started John but Sherlock cut across him.

"You're about to ask why- don't"

"You don't even know what I'm talking about!"

"Yes I do, the same way I know you've just changed you're Facebook status to single, that you didn't have your morning tea and Catherine broke up with you last night" Sherlock said this all in one breath so to the poor driver it sounded like gobbly gook. To John however, he goggled at Sherlock. Sherlock looked at him and sighed.

"Really John you should know by now I can do those deductions. You must be used to it. Your question is why we are in a cab at 6:30 in the morning. A perfectly simple question that has quite a complicated answer."

John shook himself and said "Why?"

"Why? Because I received a phone call from my enigmatic brother, with a matter that I brought to his attention, which has become quite an interesting case indeed"

John tried to speak again, but every time was hushed by Sherlock. Evidently he was thinking about the information he had received. They stayed like that for the rest of the journey.


	3. Chapter 3-To Get Out Of Our Little Heads

**A/n  
hi you guys! Most of this story is already written. I have typed up to chapter 5, and I promise they will meet the Doctor soon! I am also considering another fan fiction, in which I rewrite most of series 5, 6 and 7 with Molly Hooper instead of Amy Pond, and Rory with Sherlock. obviously, they are all very different characters, so I will be changing a lot of the original text. However, I have come up with a bit of a snag. I have planned most of the stories (including River Song) but I am stuck with Amy's Choice and The Girl Who Waited. For Amy's Choice, what would the alternative to the Leadworth dream be? I still want Molly to be pregnant though. But where would they be living? Could Sherlock live in a cottage in the countryside? It is up to you to decide! express you're wish in the review box!  
With The Girl Who Waited, who should get stuck in Twostreams?Sherlock or Molly? I cant decide between them! Both would be equally interesting to do. again express your wish in the review box!**

Sherlock burst through the double doors of Mycroft's club and strode purposefully along, ignoring the protests of several doormen. John hurried behind him, trying to apologise for his friend and keep up with him at the same time.

"Ah Sherlock" came Mycroft's voice from the staircase "here at last. I thought that you weren't coming."

"of course I was coming. How could I not? Shut up!" he added to stammering doorman who was trying to explain that it was 7am and the club didn't open until 9.

"Shall we proceed?" asked Mycroft

Sherlock said nothing, instead striding purposefully up the oak staircase. John followed, bemused. Mycroft led them along ornately carved corridors until they reached his private study. They went in. it was some room. It had a desk, 2 sofas and a coffee table. He gestured towards the sofa and they both sat. Sherlock was practically bouncing with excitement, until john gave him a look and he stopped.

"So, dear brother, has she appeared again? An impossible girl?" asked Sherlock

"In the flesh, you could say"

Sherlock was instantly alert.

"Where?"

" She and a companion were apprehended"

"what? Where? How?"

"No matter of concern for you, brother dear"

"err…" stammered John "could you please explain for those not keeping up?"

"ah…" said Sherlock "where to start?"

"How about here?" said Mycroft, pulling out a brown envelope and handing it to John. John opened it, and inside where several photo's. The first was a photo of a submarine crew, with a young woman circled in red. The date was 1983. Another was of a professor and his assistant, with his arms around a young man and woman. She was also circled and the photo was dated 1973. It was the same woman. John frowned and looked at the last two photos. It was a Victorian woman; the photos were only a year apart, 1892 and 1893. But it was the _same _woman.

"What? How is this possible? It's the same woman. I can understand the Victorian girl, their only a year apart-"

he was cut off by Sherlock pulling out another piece of paper from the envelope. He knew what it was; he had seen it enough times.

"A death certificate, for a Clara Oswin Oswald, died the 25th of December 1892… so how could she be photographed in 1893?"

"Exactly" said Mycroft. "And how could the same woman be on a Russian submarine in 1983? Or a haunted house in 1973?"

"Or, indeed in the present day?" Asked Sherlock, holding out a final photograph of the same woman posing with a couple of children in front of the London eye. John couldn't help thinking how pretty she was. Her eyes sparkled and her smile was mischievous. She was beautiful, John thought. But how could the same woman be in so many different places and look exactly the same?

"Hold on a minute, you said she had been appended!" shouted John, louder than he had intended.

"Yes, John, do try to keep up" sighed Sherlock

"Indeed, John" said Mycroft, ignoring Sherlock "along with her mysterious companion"

he pointed a finger at a youngish looking man, wearing tweed and a bow tie. John looked at Sherlock, expecting him to say something, a deduction, anything. But Sherlock said nothing. He was looking at the man in the bow tie, a puzzled look on his face, as if he had forgotten something and was desperately trying to remember it.

"Sherlock are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, fine" he muttered distractedly "How did you get them?" he added louder

"they were discovered trying to gain access to Baskerville, one of the most secure areas." He smiled coldly.

"Baskerville?" asked John

John and Sherlock had visited the army place a few weeks previously.

"When do we leave?" Asked Sherlock

"leave? Oh no Sherlock, you are not going to Baskerville. I only called you to make you aware that she had been apprehended and that you would not need to investigate her anymore"

Sherlock looked murderous. Then he abruptly stood up and stalked out of the room. John made to go after him, but Mycroft stopped him.

"He mustn't go to Baskerville. Do you understand John? He mustn't go!"


	4. Chapter 4-Lights Will Guide You Home

**sorry this is so short, but i promise the next one will be up soon and will be much longer!**

John managed to catch up to Sherlock back at 221B. He was rapidly packing his bag and trying to type on John's laptop at the same time.  
"Sherlock! What the hell are you doing?"  
"Going John. Isn't it obvious" he rolled his eyes.  
"Going where? Hey isn't that my laptop? What are you doing with it?"  
"I'm printing out ID's, calling in favours"  
"but Sherlock, where are you going?"  
"I'm going to Dartmoor"  
"why are we going to do that?"  
"we're going to break into Baskerville!"  
2 hours, a cab and a bus ride later, John and Sherlock were on the train to Dartmoor. John was still protesting  
"but your brother-"  
"I don't have to do what my brother tells me."  
They sat in silence for a few moments. Then:  
"How exactly are we going to break into Baskerville?"  
Sherlock held out the ID they had used when they were last there.  
"It doesn't work anymore." Then seeing the expression on Sherlock's face asked "does it?"  
"Not officially. Henry Knight owes us a favour, and he has become very influential. I suspect we will have 30 minutes before they suspect anything is wrong"  
"30 minutes to do what?"  
"Find this Clara, question her, and possibly take some DNA. When we get there it is your job to find her."  
"What? I though you wanted to talk to her, that's what this is all about isn't it?"  
"I'm going to talk to her companion"  
"Her companion? Oh the guy in tweed. Why?"  
"Because I think I've met him before, also I managed to get a copy of his medical report."  
Sherlock pulled a brown envelope from his bag and handed it to John. John pulled the report out of its envelope and scanned it. He frowned and said  
"Is this some kind of joke?"  
"No. At least as far as I know. Straight from the horse's mouth you could say"  
"But he has 2 hearts! A respiratory bypass system! This isn't right, this isn't human!"  
"No John. It isn't"


	5. Chapter 5- Tears Stream Down Your Face

**A/N as promised a longer chapter. sorry I forgot to put a disclaimer. i do not own sherlock or Doctor who. also i am using some song lyrics from the following songs as chapter titles. i do not own any of theses songs. wish i did.  
****A Thousand Years- Christina Perri  
****Run- Snow Patrol  
****Fix You- Cold Play**

John and Sherlock approached the gates of Baskerville.

"Remember, you find Clara and I'll go for the alien"

"For the last time Sherlock!"

"No"

They reached the gate. Sherlock showed his ID and John held his breath while they examined it.

"Clear" came the shout and John sighed in relief.

They drove on through and entered the complex .John could see some funny looks thrown at them, but no one disturbed them as they got in the lift and as Sherlock pressed the last button.

"Room RYCBAR123"

"Bit of a long name"

"It's a long way down"

They stood in silence for a moment.

"It's very secret, John. Just go straight there, turn right when we come out of the lift. It should be somewhere along the corridor on your left."

"What about you?"

"Oh I know exactly where I am going"

The lift doors opened and the two men were confronted with the sight of Major Barrymore. He just had time for his eyes to widen before Sherlock dispatched him with a fierce upper cut. He crumpled

"Ok, our time has been halved, they will find him soon enough. Get going!"  
Sherlock turned and went left. John turned right and headed down through the corridor. RYCBAR113, RYCBAR117, RYCBAR123. He had it. He swiped his card, and the doors hissed open. What he saw inside made him gasp in horror.

Sherlock hurried down the long white corridor. He had lied to John, he had no idea where he was going. Ok, half an idea, but not exactly. There was a cry from behind him. He stopped, and froze, to listen. It had been a man's voice. It had been a cry of pain.

"No!" a voice shouted "no! No, not Clara!"

It was him!

"Please hurt me instead, just don't hurt Clara-agggggggghhhh!"

The rest of the sentence was drowned out in a scream of pain. Sherlock flinched and turned. The sound was coming from behind him. He doubled back, another scream. It was coming from the door completely in front of him. He reached out and scanned his card. The door slid open. For only the third time in his entire life, Sherlock gasped.

John gasped in horror. The girl from the photographs was tied to a chair in this dank dirty room. There was duct tape over her mouth, her hair was dishevelled and her face and arms were covered in bruises. He could see the rope burns on her wrists and ankles where she had struggled against her bonds. She looked dehydrated and malnourished, and there was a strong smell of urine. As he entered, her eyes darted up in fear. It wasn't just fear in her eyes. It was absolute terror. Tear tracks streaked and stained her face, and as soon as she saw him she started struggling again. He was frozen as soon as he had entered the room, but the sight of her still struggling to get away from him jolted him into action. He couldn't just ask her questions and leave. He had to get this poor girl out. He ran forward she struggled more wildly as he pulled out his penknife.

"Shh shhh, its ok, my name is John Watson, I'm going to get you out. Hold still so I can cut the ropes"  
She stopped struggling. She looked down at him as he sawed through the ropes. Her eyes were full of hope. He managed to get through the ropes holding her hands, and she ripped them free and tore off the duct tape covering her mouth. She took a long shuddering breath and coughed. He sliced the ropes binding her legs and stood up. She opened her mouth and spluttered

"who… what… how…?"

"Shh don't talk. I'm going to get you out of here. Put your arm over my shoulder."

He hauled her to her feet. She was very unsteady, as weak as a baby dear. He half dragged half carried her to the door. She was so light, thinner than Sherlock. And John knew that Sherlock was barely borderline healthy. As they passed through the door, all hell broke loose.

"Sherlock!"

Sherlock had gasped. He couldn't help himself. A man in dishevelled tweed was strapped to a harness. As Sherlock watched, a white-coated technician pressed a button and blue lightning struck his body at 100 places at once

"Tell us who you are!"

The technician raised his hand to press a button, but Sherlock spun and dropped him with a vicious kick to the head. He ran up and untied the man from the harness. He collapsed to the floor, but Sherlock turned him over and shouted in his face

"what is your name?"

"The Doctor…" the man gasped

The Doctor! Sherlock cried out in pain and sank to his knees clutching at his head as memories long buried flooded his head. He forced himself to his feet, ignoring the almost blinding pain in his head he could sort his mind palace out later. Right now he needed to get to his friends, new and old, out of here. Suddenly an alarm went off all around him; he spun and saw the technician had recovered and pulled the alarm. Sherlock jumped and sent him flying before he could do anything else. The turned to haul the Doctor to his feet, but he was already standing

"Shall we go?" he asked. Sherlock nodded, but then he heard his name

"Sherlock!"

It was John. Sherlock ran past the Doctor and towards the direction of the shout. The Doctor paused a moment, then his eyes widened and he tore after Sherlock. The Doctor was unsteady on his feet.

"The names Sherlock Holmes!" Sherlock called from in front of him  
"You have probably read John's blog, no I will no sign anything, and I am not wearing that hat!"

"Wait my friend; she's in here somewhere I can't leave her!"

"John has her, that's why he shouted"

"Sherlock, how did you know where to find us?"

Sherlock didn't answer, as they had reached the door where John was supporting Clara.

"Oh my God! Clara!" the Time Lord ran forward and tried to scoop Clara in his arms. Instead his shaky legs gave way and he crashed to the floor. John managed to catch Clara before she, too fell. The Doctor stood slowly.

"I can't go very fast; those electric shocks have knocked out my muscles. They're already starting to heal, but I need time and rest, which judging by the alarms going off, is not going to happen anytime soon." As he finished his short speech, he collapsed to the floor again and didn't get up. John turned to Sherlock.

"Sherlock can you-" he broke off. Sherlock was leaning against the wall, his head in his hands.

"Sherlock?"

Sherlock's head snapped up and he roughly pulled the Doctor to his feet.

"Sherlock are you ok?" asked John

"yes, yes, I'm fine I'm always fine"

They made quick progress towards the lift, despite the fact that both Sherlock and John were supporting barely conscious people. They reached the lift, and Sherlock swiped his card. It beeped negatively, and showed red.

"Damm" Sherlock muttered

"They must have cottoned on" murmured John beside him. "Sherlock how do we get out?"

John could feel panic rising in his chest. They were both breathing heavily, but now John could hear another noise. The sound of hurried footsteps. Boots. The soldiers were coming.

"Sherlock!"

Sherlock opened his mouth, like he did whenever he was going to give a witty retort. But nothing came out.

"I-I..."

His back suddenly arched, and he crumpled to the floor.

"Sherlock!"

Now John was stuck with 3 unconscious people and no way out.


	6. Chapter 6-And We'll Run For Our Lives

**a/n yes i know its short but a longer chapter should be up soon! please review!**

The Doctor's head snapped up.

"The TARDIS!"

"The what?"

"The TARDIS, it can get us out!"

"Well where is it?"

John decided to suspend his disbelief until they got out of here.

"Somewhere around here"

He hauled Sherlock upright, and pulled one of Sherlock's long arms around his neck.

"John you carry Clara, I'll handle Sherlock, she's close, I know she's close!"

He set off at a run, John close behind him wondering who 'she' was. Suddenly the Doctor stopped.

"Why are you stopping here, the soldiers are right behind us!"

"She's in here"

Shifting Sherlock's to the other side of his arm, the Doctor pulled out a green tipped screwdriver

"sonic screwdriver!" he shouted, as though that explained everything. He had more or less the same look on his face that Sherlock got, the 'we-all-know-what's-going-on-face'. He pointed the sonic at the door. It slid open to reveal a 1960's style police box.

"Is that it?" John asked.

"Just get in!" shouted the Doctor

They piled inside

"What the-"


	7. Chapter 7-When You Feel So Tired

Sherlock slowly opened his eyes and groaned. The pain in his head was slowly fading, and his legs and arms felt like dead weights, but slowly and surely feeling was coming back to them. A face was hanging over him. John? No. It was Molly. Oh God did it have to be Molly? The last thing he wanted was to make a fool of himself in front of Molly. Exactly why, he didn't know, because there were no words in Sherlock's vocabulary for love.

20 minutes earlier

The big blue box wheezed into view in St Bart's morgue. John and the Doctor stumbled out, both carrying their respective persons.

"But it's bigger on the inside-" John was saying, but broke off when he saw where they were.

"The morgue! The morgue at St Barts. We've moved!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, and heaved Sherlock onto one of the slabs.

"Put Clara over there" He instructed, pointing over to another slab. John gently laid Clara down, and stroked out a few errant views. Then he came to himself.

"We need to get her medical attention" he said, starting towards the door

"You're a doctor" said the Doctor as he hurried over to take John's place at Clara's side.

"I'll get Molly. She'll know what to do" John decided

The Doctor's head snapped up

"Molly? Molly who?"

"Molly hoo-" before John could finish his sentence, the woman herself came crashing through the double doors, red-faced and panting, like she was running for her life

"Oh John" she cried on surprise "I didn't know you were here. I'm sorry, I thought I heard-"she stopped abruptly when she saw the blue box. She started to walk towards it, as if she was hypnotised. She hadn't noticed the Doctor.

"Molly" he said she spun around

"Doctor? Is that really you?" she breathed

"Yes Molly. It's me. I-"

she suddenly flew across the room and slapped him hard around the face

"5 years!" she shouted punctuating each word with a slap. "5. Years. I've. Been. Stuck. Here! And now you turn up and-

She broke off, because John had grabbed her around the waist and dragged her back. She managed to break free, but instead of slapping the Doctor again she hugged him tight

"I've missed you so much Doctor" she whispered. John noticed it wasn't a romantic embrace; rather, it was like they were old friends.

"So you umm know him then" said John rather awkwardly.

"I used to travel with him. He promised him every star every planet" she smiled, reminiscing. "I was young, only in the middle of my degree. He took me to the ends of the universe and back. It was-"  
her blissful memory trip ended in a scream she had just noticed Sherlock lying as still as death on an autopsy slab.

"Sherlock!"

She flew over to him all the while shouting "Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock!"

"Molly, Molly, its fine, he will be fine. He just needs rest, but he isn't going to get that if his Doctor is screaming in his ear" said the Doctor, practically.

"Now you can help me with Clara"

Molly's eyes narrowed. The Doctor seemed unfazed.

"Yes, Clara, she… travels with me now. She's been hurt. Please Molly"  
Molly could never refuse her help, even if the person that needed the help was a rival.


	8. Chapter 8And High Up Above Or Down Below

While John checked Sherlock, Molly examined Clara. After a tense fifteen minutes, Molly pronounced that Clara would be fine. She had woken up halfway through, and had been trying to refuse Molly's help. Molly found that she was really rather fun and they ended up having a huge laugh at the Doctors expense. Once, they both stopped laughing and there was an awkward pause.

"Molly?" asked Clara, suddenly looking nervous

"Yeah?"

"Is, um… John…ummm"

"Gay? No, he is always denying it! Sherlock would never be interested in anyone anyway" she sighed

"you like him don't you?" asked Clara gently

"Yes. He's rude and he's arrogant, but I love him. And he doesn't even notice me. You have a chance with John though. He's very nice"

"Molly. Go over to him. Take over from John. Be the first person he sees when he wakes up."

Molly hurried over, just as Sherlock groaned.

"Sherlock, Sherlock can you hear me?"  
Sherlock's eyes opened

"Molly" he said clearly

"Sherlock" the relief was evident in her voice Sherlock slowly sat up, with the aid of molly. He looked around him

"How did we get here?"

John answered "ask him" he pointed at the Doctor  
the 2 genius's stared into each other's eyes. Sherlock, very surprisingly, was the first to drop his gaze, and put his hand on his head

"ow"

"that's a mind block slowly disintegrating. I think I put it there, it is defiantly my method, has my signature, but I definitely would have remembered if I had put a mind block on Sherlock Holmes. So it's my future, sometime in my future I put a mind block on a young Sherlock Holmes, to prevent…what? What do you remember?"

"I remember you… and her"

"speaking of which we haven't been properly introduced. Hello, I'm the Doctor. Here to help. And this is my friend Clara"

"Doctor who?" asked John.

"Just the Doctor" Molly smiled

"What sort of name is The Doctor?" asked Sherlock. Everyone looked at him. Molly saw John roll his eyes. She knew what was coming. A deduction.

"Molly you've travelled with him, evident by the way you look at him, it's not a romantic gesture, but you look at him as if he isn't real, like you can't believe he's here. Clara, you are impossible, to put it in one word. You are in your early 20's, you look after children. You are not from here. You were given cold porridge for breakfast and the last time they visited you in your cell, it was yesterday, judging by your bruises. Now Doctor you are an enigma, you look young like you are in your early 20's too, but your eyes say otherwise. They are older than the rest of you. Your clothes are strange to say the least. The bow tie uses fabrics not seen for over 100 years, but the jacket uses fibres that I've never seen before. You're boots have tiny traces of grass on them, but it isn't London grass. For a start, it's purple. The sole is well worn, from running. You are married, but not to Clara. You don't see your wife often, probably because you are traveling around with another girl. You are rubbing your ring finger, you want to wear your ring but something is stopping you. Possibly because you and your wife are time travellers and it would be very awkward if you met her at the wrong point in your time stream."

The Doctor grinned. Everybody, even Molly stared. Sherlock rolled his eyes

"oh it's obvious! You've seen things, Doctor, you want to forget. The way you hold yourself scream soldier, you've fought, but you don't carry a weapon, you had a family, possibly a first wife. Was she the same species as you? No you are not human; you have a respiratory bypass system, and two hearts. I thought the photos were fake but no, you have an irregular heartbeat, there is a double pulse, and so two hearts' it is. You have lost people, people you cared greatly about, the glasses hanging out of your pocket, are not yours they are slightly too small for you. So a friends. You keep them, sentimental reasons. Am I wrong?"

"No" smiled the Doctor "you are absolutely right. My wife, we never meet in the right order. She once served 12 thousand consecutive life sentences because she murdered me, long story. First time I met her she knew my future. A bit like you Sherlock."

"Like me? How? Oh right, I know your future self, which explains why you haven't met me yet. One last question. What were you doing in Baskerville?"

"ummmmmmm"

"tell me!"

"Aliens are trying to take or the earth"


	9. Chapter 9- Even If You Cannot Hear

**hi guys! thanks to Jinx2016 who reviewed it's reviews that keep me writing! also thanks to all the people who are following this, and those you have Favorited! i'm sorry the chapters are short, but the shorter the chapters, the quicker the updates. be prepared for some sherolly feels coming up in the next few chapters! **

There was a stunned silence. Well John was really the only one that looked stunned. Sherlock's face was its usual blank mask. Molly simply sighed.

"you're not lying." Said Sherlock

"your hands don't twitch, you look directly at me, therefore you are not lying. So tell all Doctor. Aliens?"

Clara sighed "you going to set him off now."

"Well, I think a rouge time lord called the master has escaped a time lock I put him in, long story. I thought he was dead, he communicated with a criminal, who managed to restore his physical form. Now, even though he's evil, he is the only other living lime lord left in the universe, so I quite reluctant to kill him. Anyway he and the criminal, heave managed to contact a race called the Axos. Now they don't really like me very much either, because I trapped them in the time loop, because they were going to consume the earth. Over time they have evolved, and become a featureless black mass, capable of taking over everything, sentient or non-sentient, alive or dead. Me and Clara realised that there is a tiny amount of Axonite in every computer, every electrical device. We went to Baskerville to investigate, because that was where the Axonite originated from. We were caught because we were careless. We allowed ourselves to be visible, which, seeing as we are time travellers is a very bad idea. They found out about my rather unique bodily make up, and decided they would like me to stay for a while. We had been in there a week, before you found us. We have now less than 36 hours before the Axonite activates."

"What happens when it activates?" asked John

"It'll do what I stopped it doing before. It will absorb all energy, leaving this planet a dry husk"

"Why's the Master helping them?" inquired Molly

the Doctor didn't hear her

"To break the time loop fully, they need someone to be a trigger. And I'm sorry Sherlock but I think it's you."

Everyone turned to stare at Sherlock. He didn't react.

"You said something about a criminal, who?"

"A certain James Moriarty. I assume you have heard of him"

Sherlock stiffened and nodded.

"So, Moriarty and the Master are working together to break the time loop and the only way they can do that is by using Sherlock as a trigger. Yes?" clarified John

"Yes, John exactly, I can see why he likes you. All the Axonite is already waiting in every bit of Tec, harmless until it is reactivated." finished Clara

"yes well done Clara that's p-"the Doctor stopped suddenly. "In every piece of Tec… the axons were looking for the trigger, that's why they captured me and Clara! I've been saying all of this out loud. "

He stopped and they all stared at each other in horror.

"They know!" whispered Clara

"smash everything!" commanded Sherlock "destroy all the electrical equipment"

they all began to move, when a phone rang. They looked at each other, puzzled. It was Sherlock's; lying on the slab he was sitting on. Sherlock slowly picked it up and put it on loudspeaker.

"Hello?"

"Jim Moriarty. Hi!" came the horribly familiar Irish accented voice. John and Molly both gasped, but Sherlock didn't move.

"hellooooooooo Sherlock! Isn't this great? You are just what the Doctor ordered!"

"Moriarty" said Sherlock through gritted teeth.

"Oh not so pleased to see me? Oh that's such a shame. I'm sorry sherly but I am going to have to cut this conversation short I have a friend who wants to speak to you. Or rather your friend. The Doctor. Doctor who? Here's your friend, Doctor. Oh and Sherlock. I'll be seeing you soon. Very soon. You too Johnny-boy!"

There was a sound of scuffling then another totally different voice came on the line

"Hello Doctor"

the Doctor snatched up the phone.

"I'm here"

there was a murmuring on the other line. The Doctor turned, put a hand over the speaker, and whispered

"go! Smash computers!"

John grabbed Clara and ran out of the room with her. The Doctor put the phone o his ear, then stalked out. Molly and Sherlock were left alone.


	10. Chapter 10- Then We Really Have To Go

**Yeah I know it's a really short chapter but explains a lot. i will hopefully post the next chapter either later today or tomorrow. **

"Doctor, I think it's time we had a proper chat."

"Master" said the Doctor once he was out of the room

"are you upset, Doctor, are you angry? I would be but then I'm me"

"How did you escape the time war?" asked the Doctor

"oh Doctor straight to the point. Don't you want a little chat first?"

"No, I want to know now! You were gone, dying, taken with Rassilon, back to the Dark Days, of the time war. How can you be here?"

"I had some contacts from when I was Harold Saxon. An acquaintance of mine, Jim Moriarty, helped set me up when I first arrived on earth, I crated a rather strong bond with him"

"What?"

"Oh don't you remember Doctor? I could survive even when I was dead. I had a rather nice body when we were on Traken, don't you remember?"

"But that means…" the Doctor whispered, horrified "You took over Moriarty?"

"I floated through space, after the war, after you! A featureless bunch of particles, bonded by the simple need to survive. I honed in on him, on his mind, so similar to mine. He didn't like that very much!" the Master gave a snort of laughter. "He managed to expel me, something no other human has ever been able to do. So I took up residence in the form of his most loyal man, Sebastian Moran. And of course, me, being me, he looks like me now!"

"Wait, that means that you aren't a time lord anymore! That's why you are helping the Axons! Being in the time loop, they would have soaked up so much time energy, they give it to you and you will get a whole new set of regenerations!"

"And for Moriarty too. Everyone gets a reward!"

"Master please, listen to me. I can take you somewhere else please."

"No, Doctor. Do you know why? Because this whole stinking planet needs to be wiped off the face of the universe. . It's contaminated. And you and my trigger will help me to do that. I don't know how Jim got it into Sherlock, but then he is amazingly devious. Are you sure he is safe?"

"they're destroying your Axonite, as we speak"

"oh Doctor have you learned nothing? You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs"

the Doctor's eyes widened. A shout came from the main lab.

"Doctor!"

"Run Doctor!" laughed the Master "run for your life!"

**For those that don't know, Traken is a place from classic who, a planet on which the Master took over a humans body, rather like he has taken over Sebastian Moran.**


	11. Chapter 11-But Watching You Stand Alone

**oh this is pathetically short. I am really sorry, but hey you get 2 in one day! possibly more, if I have time. be prepared for Sherolly. sorry for all you Johnlock shippers. **

A few minutes earlier

"We'd better get on with it then" said Molly. They each picked a computer and started to smash them up  
"um… Sherlock?" asked Molly as she smashed a keyboard to bits  
"Yes Molly?" he answered briskly  
"Are you…um…ok?"  
"Why would.t I be ok?"  
"Well, you did just wake up from unconsciousness"  
"Clara was worst off then me"  
There was an awkward silence between them, broken only by the smashing of various electrical computers.  
"Molly" murmured Sherlock "I was wondering if…um" Sherlock was stuttering. He was always brisk with her, he never stuttered, maybe it was possible that he- no. Molly shook herself. He wouldn't. He was a sociopath. He didn't have feelings. But yet here he was, looking rather awkward.

Sherlock was embarrassed. This wasn't something that happened often. He was surprised he even knew how to feel embarrassed. This was the longest time he had spent alone with Molly. There had always been someone else there. He sounded pathetic, stammering. This shouldn't be a problem. There were prettier girls out there, but Sherlock hadn't wanted anything to do with them. They were dull and ordinary. And while Molly wasn't a genius, she was someone he could trust. She was clever too, and sweet. Sherlock usually detested 'sweet' people. She was his first friend. She had always put up with him, even when he was rude. He normally didn't think about what he said to other people, or cared what they thought about him. But he did care. It was a disadvantage. Caring was not an advantage, he had to keep telling himself that. But here in this room, he gave up trying. She was staring at him, her expression desperately hopeful. He opened his mouth. Suddenly she cried out in pain. A sliver of broken glass had sliced her palm. Black goo was sliding from the broken computer she had been smashing into her hand. He could see the black crawling up her veins.  
"Molly!"  
He ran over to her and put her hand in his. The black was already seeping up her wrist.  
"Doctor" he shouted  
"Doctor!"


	12. 12-When You're Too In Love To Let It Go

**here is this chapter finally. lots of sherolly (because they are my OTP) and some major feels! you have been warned! **

"Molly, look at me, it's going to be ok" Sherlock was trying to think of a way to help Molly. The black was crawling up her veins and up towards her face

"Sherlock!"

"Molly, please, no, Molly"

"Sherlock, please Sherlock help me!"

Sherlock was panicking, he couldn't think straight. The black had reached her face, painting the veins black.

"Sherlock"

it reached her eyes and they disappeared. The green became black and covered her whole eye.  
"Molly-"

Molly, or the thing that had taken her over, opened its mouth. Her voice was rusty and hoarse. It was Molly's voice, but somehow it wasn't. It said

"We have your mate"

"she's not my mate" scoffed Sherlock, hiding the fear he felt underneath.

"We have her memories; they show you care for her. You will do what we want or she will die"

"if you know me at all, then you should know that I don't give into that sort of demand"

"you are our trigger, you can set us free"

"you are already free, idiot"

"you will start our nutrition cycle. Only then we can feast"

"feast on what exactly?" Sherlock asked, despite knowing the answer. He had to buy them time.

"Enough talk" it hissed "we want your mind"

"oh I wonder what you would want with that?" asked Sherlock sarcastically

"if we take your genius you will come to us to retrieve it. There we will take you"

Sherlock was still trying to think of a way out but he could already see there was no way out. Not even for the great Sherlock Holmes. It, Molly, whoever, smiled when it saw the resignation and defeat in Sherlock's eyes.

"If I wanted too, what should I do?"

"Place your hand on hers"

She held out a hand. Sherlock took a step closer. He could hear panicked footsteps coming down the corridor and knew he had to do this quickly. The others would stop him.

"I suppose" he murmured, as he took another step closer. "if this is my last chance to say it"

he took the final step

"Molly Hooper-"

the door slammed open and the Doctor ran in, flanked by John  
"Sherlock!"

"No! Sherlock!"

He couldn't finish. He caught Molly's face in his hands and kissed her.

"Sherlock no!" cried the Doctor.

The black drained from Molly into Sherlock. Sherlock held on, until the last of the black goo transferred. They broke apart, and the Doctor and John had to run forward and catch them before they fell to the floor. Molly landed in the Doctor's arms. She was shaking but conscious.

"Sherlock." She croaked, grasping at the Doctor's jacket. John had caught Sherlock. His face was lined with the same stuff that Molly's had been and his eyes were the same colour as his hair. He twisted and flipped his whole body convulsing. His hand slammed down onto the hard floor, and the goo flowed through his body and into the metal floor. His face was contorted in pain.

"Sherlock!" shouted John

the last drops of black ooze dripped onto the floor and Sherlock gasped. His eyes rolled and he collapsed back onto John's lap.

"Sherlock..." John trailed off.  
Molly was being helped into a chair by the Doctor. He asked her "what happened?"  
She was stammering, but John wasn't surprised, to him it looked like she had been taken over by the Axonite she was supposed to be smashing. I had gone into Sherlock and then drained out of him. Had it hurt him? Halfway through her story she started to sob

"I-it said it w-wanted his mind" she finished

"His mind?" asked John

"His mind, his mind…aha!"

John jumped and the Doctors outburst

"His mind is his weapon, they were disarming him! The trigger is buried in his subconscious so they take his conscious mind, bring the trigger to the forefront, and knowing that I wouldn't let him stay like this, we would come and collect his mind, so they could get him and the trigger would be easily accessible!"

"What do you mean stay like this?"

"ummm, how do I explain this… well he's in a coma"

"A coma!" Molly's voice was high and squeaky. John looked like he was about to punch the Doctor.

"Look" said the Doctor hurriedly "I can fix it, it's a simple transfer. I can trace the signal with my sonic (he pulled out the sonic from his pocket and flicked a button) and bring him back!"

Sherlock's eyes opened and John sighed in relief.

"That was…disconcerting"

"well you did just wake up from a coma!" smiled John. Sherlock gave a light chuckle, but his face paled

"Molly-"

"is fine Sherlock" interrupted the Doctor, hauling the thin man to his feet.

"Never trusted computers" muttered Sherlock darkly.

"You're never off them!" joked John, and everybody was smiling and laughing.

The phone rang

Silence fell. They looked towards the phone, on the floor where it had been flung as the Doctor had raced into the room. The Doctor gingerly picked it up and answered

"oh well done Doctor!" said the Master "my Axonite friends do like to be a bit…theatrical"

"I was a distraction" whispered Sherlock in horror.

"Oh that must be the famous Sherlock Holmes! Oh very clever deduction. First rate!"

"who's missing! Quickly" muttered the Doctor. It was suddenly painfully obvious

"Clara…"

"yes Doctor, your pretty little friend!"

John was shaking. Sherlock observed. He knew the signs. He had seen them on himself when Molly was in danger. Sherlock had known his friend had fallen for Clara as soon as he had seen them together. Sherlock sees through everything and everyone in seconds and sometime, he thought, sometimes being right is no fun at all. The anger of a good man, especially a very good man like John- Sherlock was jolted out of his observations by the painful and very obvious sound of a slap came from the phone

"I said, say hello!"

"h-hello Doctor" came Clara's terrified voice.

"I have your little friend Doctor, and I assure you that Moriarty and I will make her very comfortable. Come to coordinates 51°30′26″N 0°7′39″W. you have half an hour. Then she falls"

The Master hung up. It had all been so quick.

**ha ha you thought it was all going to be all right! don't worry though, the next chapter should be up within 24 hours. although there is a major cliffhanger in that one too. remember to review!**


	13. Chapter 13- And I Will Try To Fix You

**OK after you read this chapter you are going to hate me. sorry. also it is pathetically short after making you wait for a day. another piece of bad news, i will be unable to update until Monday at the latest. so you may have to wait 3 days for the next instalment i am so evil. on the bright side, i have almost finished writing it! all i need to do is type it up. **

The Doctor was pacing again.

"I can't let them have you Sherlock, I can't!"

It had been 10 minutes since the phone call. Sherlock's face was a blank mask as his future was mapped out for him. His long arms were curled protectively around Molly. John was sitting on the chair Molly had vacated.

"Doctor" said Sherlock quietly

the Doctor either didn't hear or ignored him.

"Doctor!" bellowed Sherlock so that John jumped. The Doctor finally stopped pacing and looked at Sherlock

"I know what you're thinking Sherlock" he sighed "and the answers no. I am not letting you give yourself up"

"it is the only logical solution"

The Doctor knew it was the only way of getting Clara back, and Sherlock knew he knew that. Sherlock looked down at Molly.

"You trust me don't you?" she looked scared but she nodded

"John, you trust me?"

John nodded and stood up Sherlock looked the Doctor straight in the eye.

"Trust me. Trust me to do this."

The Doctor was still but slowly nodded

"ok. Get into the TARDIS!"

John and Molly both ran in but Sherlock stopped. His eyes widened slightly but he nodded and went inside. He joined the Doctor by the console.

"Like it?" asked the Doctor, in rather the same way Sherlock had asked John about his blog.

"It's smaller on the outside" stated Sherlock.

Before Sherlock could reply, Molly spoke:

"you've changed the desktop- I like it" . The Doctor smiled and started to dash around the console. Sherlock looked on in distaste.

"Are you sure you're flying this right?"

"A thousand years in, I'm coping!"

"Then why is it so shaky?"

"Because I threw the manual into a supernova!"

"Why?"

"Because I disagreed with it!"

John looked slightly more comfortable than Sherlock, but then he had already been on the TARDIS. Molly was the most energetic of them all. Finally smiling again, she was grinning like a mad man. Sherlock could guess why. This had been her home and she had loved every minute of it. It seemed there was more to his Molly Hooper than he first thought. The time rotor moved up and down and stopped

"We've landed!" announced the Doctor. Sherlock rolled his eyes. As if they didn't know that. The Doctor opened the door and stepped out, the others following him. The place they were in was rather like an arena, somewhere where a rock bad may have performed. Not now though. The whole place was covered in dust. There were 3 figures on the stage. The Master stepped forward

"You came! Isn't that great?"

"Hiiii shwrlock" came the chilling Irish voice as Moriarty also stepped forward. He smiled like a shark eying his prey.

"Here for your little friend?"

A spot light came on and shone onto Clara. Apart from a few fresh bruises, she looked fine. She smiled, a little hesitantly, at them.

"Doctor we will give you Miss Oswald, as soon as you give us Mr Holmes"

"what happens if I refuse?" asked the Doctor. He seemed calm and cool, but Sherlock could see his shaking hands

"you won't" Moriarty smirked "if you do Miss Oswald will be taking a little trip downstairs" the light on Clara intensified, showing she was standing on a metallic trapdoor.

"Clara-"John whispered. Sherlock began to walk forward. John was his best friend; he couldn't leave him without Clara. If he did this the Doctor would take the people he loved onto his TARDIS and save them. Both Molly and the Doctor tried to stop him but he shrugged them off. He knew what he was doing.

"Oh Sherlock, the noble Sherlock, giving his life for a woman he barely knows!" snickered the Master "And what for?" sneered Moriarty "because his little pet has found someone else? What did I tell you at the pool? I will burn the heart out of you Sherlock"

"I don't have a heart, that's what I told you"

"yes you do Sherlock, and she's standing right there. Don't think I haven't noticed" Sherlock said nothing. The corner of Moriarty's mouth twitched and Sherlock struck. He pulled the thin scalpel he had pocketed from the morgue from his pocket and held it against Moriarty's neck. The consulting criminal didn't resist.

"You will not hurt them!" he hissed in the man's ear. Louder he said "Master, you will let the others go, Clara, John, Molly and the Doctor, or I will kill Moriarty. Then you will let me walk out. I am not being your trigger."

The Master grinned evilly "wrong answer Sherlock."

He pulled out a large device and pressed the large red button in the middle. There was a clanking sound, and then Clara fell. Time slowed down. The Doctor cried out "NO!" and Molly screamed. Without missing a second, John ran to the edge and jumped in after her.

**MWAHAMAWHAMWAHA! i am very very cruel. at least i won't keep you waiting for 3 years, although i now see why moffat likes it so much! please review!**


	14. Chapter 14-I'll Be Right Beside You Dear

**Yeah I know I said you will have to wait until Sunday, but hey you get a chapter, as pathetically short as it is. This is not related to this story in any way, but after this i am thinking of doing a fanfiction called Molly Hooper's Imaginary Friend, which is basically a rewrite of series 5, 6 and 7.1, with Molly and Sherlock instead of Amy and Rory. If you can think of any better titles, please suggest them in the review box. thank you! **

Clara groaned the pain she had felt at Baskerville was nothing compared to what she was feeling now. She was dying. Again. She tried to turn her head and felt her broken ribs pierce her vital organs.

"Clara?" it was John!

John had come to save her again. But how-? The relief that had washed over her at John's voice vaporised.

"John?" she croaked "please…don't tell me…you jumped too?"

"What…else… could I do?" he was hurt, possibly more than her, she could tell.

"Why?" she struggled to say her vision was swimming.

"I…couldn't…leave you. I'm…sorry" she could hear his sigh rattling.

"you…shouldn't have…but it's fine… and thanks… for trying"

"you've pierced a lung"

"how… can you… tell?"

"I'm… a doctor…"

Clara tried to move closer, but she jogged John and he hissed in pain. She felt for his hand instead. It felt shapeless. Shattered.

"Together…for…the end" she sighed "John… I know…we've barely… know each other… for… a few…hours…but I have to… say this…"

"Clara…if you're….going…to say…what I…think…you're going…to say…you make…it final"  
John closed his eyes

"It…is…final" she whispered "John… I love you"

"Clara…"

"Please…don't say…the opposite"

John chuckled and then winced in pain.

"I…won't. Because…I love…you too. Have…ever since…I first saw…you. Always will."

Clara smiled her last smile and squeezed John's broken hand.

Upstairs everyone was in shock. Sherlock had also run to the edge and was staring down into its deep depths.

"John, no, John!" he was shouting at the darkness.

The Doctor turned to the Master, who looked positively delighted.

"You…Clara…" he was shaking with rage.

"So Doctor" cried Moriarty, freed from Sherlock's grip. "Two of my little pieces in this game are broken. How will this affect the rest of the board?"

He looked around the team, Molly with her hands still over her mouth and Sherlock calling to his dead friend. The Master turned to Moriarty

"I thinks it's time to go, don't you"

"oh yes. Take the Hooper girl"

Sherlock's head snapped up. "No!"

He was too late. The Master grabbed him by the arms, as Moriarty threw a blue device at Molly, which caught onto the edge of her lab coat. Then, suddenly the 4 of them, Molly, Moriarty Sherlock and the Master, fizzed and disappeared on a haze of blue light.

**so Sherlock and Molly have been kidnapped by the baddies and John and Clara are dying at the bottom of a lift shaft. what is the Doctor going to do? you may have to wait until Wednesday, shock horror, as I want to finish writing the conclusion in my notebook, before I type anything up. Also, i am going hiking with my school, and i am visiting family tomorrow so even if i finish typing i may not update. But you may get lucky! again please review! **


	15. Chapter 15-I Believed I Would Find You

**Ok I lied. Again. But I am going away this week, so no more updates for a few days. I just thought it was mean to leave you hanging. The absolute latest I will update again is Friday. **

The Doctor was alone. He wasn't good when he was alone. A few moments ago, he had been in a room with his friends. They were in danger, but they were alive. Now two were probably dead and the other two were about to end the world. He started. He revisited what he had just thought. _Probably _dead. Probably! There was still hope. He ran back to the TARDIS and started to dance around the console.

"Please let them be alive" he muttered as sparks flew off the console. "c'mon, I know it's a short hop, but you have to try!" a final explosion

"Yes!"

The pain was slowly fading from Clara, and she was grateful. She knew she was dying. At least she would spend her last moments with the man she loved. She could hear his ragged breathing next to her and wondered who would be the first to go. She could hear the TARDIS's familiar noise in her head. She was probably hallucinating something familiar to comfort her dying body. She frowned. There was a light. Not the light in the distance sort of light. The light was all around her. A wonderfully familiar interior began to materialise around her. _We're going to be ok _she thought as she finally succumbed to the black.

The Doctor saw Clara and John fade onto the TARDIS floor.  
"Oh God" he whispered as he took in their broken bodies. He summoned all his time lord strength and gently lifted them both and carried them into the medibay. He lightly placed both their bodies on the beds and noticed that, even though they were both in a coma, they were still holding hands. The Doctor tensed and held his hands over the pair. Gold streams of light streaked from his body and onto the pair. He watched as bones realigned, bruises faded and cuts closed. Clara was the first to wake. Her eyes fluttered and she looked straight at him. She still slightly glowed.

"You used your regeneration energy on me, you twit!"

"It's ok Clara. It's only the fatal injuries that take a life away. If fixed separately, your injuries weren't life threating in the slightest."

She opened her moth to argue, but just then John groaned. She flipped over and was by his side in a heartbeat.

"John, John, are you ok?"

"Yeah, m'fine" he mumbled

"ok" she said "so it's ok if I do this" she slapped him hard around the face. He recoiled. She was shouting.

"You stupid- you idiot- jumping after me- you could have died!"

"So could you!" he managed to splutter out

"you stupid idiot!" she cried and suddenly threw herself at the poor doctor and kissed him full on the mouth. John looked shocked for a second and then replied in kind.

"I love you, my stupid idiot" she mumbled between breaths.

"The feelings mutual" he mumbled back.

**But don't forget Molly and Sherlock are still in a lot of trouble! Please review! Also, totally not related to the story, but here is a fanfiction, which I absolutely love. It is a really great one, so do read it. . **


	16. Chapter 16- I Will Not Let Anything Take

**so so sorry i've taken a while to update, been having a very busy week. and it isn't even a long chapter. again i'm really sorry! also warning. serious feels coming up in the next few chapters. i was crying as i wrote them. on a good note i have finished the entire story! all i need to do now is type and post!**

The Doctor watched the exchange between the two with increasing anxiety. They needed to get on Sherlock and Molly were out there! The couple, as if sensing his discomfort, broke apart and John asked "where's Sherlock?"

"John I'm sorry-"

"He got taken didn't he? Well we can't just leave him! We need to get him back now! It could kill him!"

A long way away, 4 people appeared in what looked like a deserted warehouse. Sherlock staggered, and ran straight over to Molly, who looked very confused and scared. Molly started to sob into his shirt. The master pulled Molly and lifted a gun to her head.

"Do you see how this works Mr Holmes? If you don't do as we want, Miss Hooper gets a bullet in her brain"

Sherlock was very tempted to throw himself at the Master, but he knew that would only get Molly killed.

"What do you want me to do" he muttered in a low voice.

"Can't hear you!" sang Moriarty

"What do you want me to do!" he shouted, and heard the trigger of the gun tighten.

"Ooh sherly is angry. Shouldn't get angry. I might be bad for your lady friend. We want you to be our trigger"

"Yes I gathered" answered Sherlock, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The Master pulled the trigger device from his pocket and pressed a button. Behind them a wall slowly slid open, revealing a huge watery looking wall, with 2 crackling poles either side. The whole thing looked like a huge curtain, abet on that rippled and danced. There were faint whispers from the other side. There were another 2 posts, closer together and nearer the company.

"Stand there" Moriarty indicated

Sherlock began to walk forward slowly.


	17. Chapter 17- But You Don't Succeed

**2 chapters today, look at that! you might not get the next one until the weekend. it is extra long!**

"Sherlock no!" shouted Molly and Sherlock heard a thump as the butt of the gun connected with Molly's head. He almost stopped them. Moriarty smirked at his hesitation but said nothing. Sherlock continued to march towards the poles. He finally reached them. Bolts of electricity seemed to latch onto his arms, wrenching them from his sides he cried out. The electricity immobilised him and seemed to probe into his mind. The mind block disintegrated. Flashes of memory, of the Master, the Doctor, the endless constant drums. He was somehow detached from the pain, and he could see the gate it was starting to open. He was dimly aware of someone screaming. For a moment he was worried it was Molly, but then he realised it wasn't. It was him.

Molly was still dazed from the blow to her head. Her vision was fuzzy, and she could feel a trickle of blood running down her forehead. She focused on Sherlock. He had reached the poles now. Suddenly electric bolts snaked down and caught his arms. He cried out and Molly knew this was bad. Really bad. Sherlock never expressed emotions, so what was happening that made him cry out like that? Then as she watched in horror, his back arched and he started to scream. It was a horrible animal noise. The gate itself seemed to respond to Sherlock's inhumane cries. It ripped and shook and a crack appeared in the fabric, like an evil smile. Black flowed through is a steady trickle, that grew larger with every second.

There was no way out.

They were all going to die.


	18. Chapter 18-Time Has Brought Your Heart

**ok here is the climax. dun dun dun! but... there are still chapters to come. and the next few chapters... ok don't say anything else. spoilers!**

"I can follow the signal!" the Doctor shouted "teleporting always leaves a trace!" he danced around the console. "Molly was closest to me; I think I could get a lock on her!"  
John and Clara held on for dear life as the TARDIS shook and twisted.

"Does this ever stop?" Shouted John

"Nope" answered Clara, a huge grin on her face.

"No, no, no, no!" Cried the Doctor.

"What's wrong?"

"they're stopping us landing! I need to delete a few rooms to give us an extra boost! Goodbye squash court 6!" he bellowed, pulling random leavers and twisting dials. Figures started to fade into the TARDIS.

"That's them" cried John happily. But it wasn't.

Molly was crying. She couldn't watch. She had a gun placed to her head, the world was ending, and the man she loved was in agony. She couldn't do anything. Then she heard it. The wonderfully familiar control room faded into existence around her. The only problem was, the Master was with her. With a loaded gun.

John's eyes widened when he saw who was with Molly.

"Doctor!"

"Activating holding cell!" the Doctor shouted. Molly was flung away from the Master as the cell was activated around him. John caught her and yelled in her ear

"where's Sherlock?!"

"He's outside, oh please, hurry, there almost through!"

John flew out of the TARDIS and was confronted with the horrible sight of Sherlock and the Axons, climbing through.

"Sherlock!"

Through a haze of pain and jumbled thoughts, John's shout reached Sherlock, locked away in his mind palace. It broke through the barriers Sherlock had put up to block the pain from his brain. He was still observing and his first thought was _I am going to die. _He heard the TARDIS. At least the people he loved would be safe. He had resigned himself to his death. But John's shout had broken through that. He would be lost without his blogger and John would be lost without his detective. For John. For Molly. He focused his brain on the trigger. If he really tried, he could control it.

_If I can open it, I can close it_

Slowly he could see it in his head. The huge gaping whole. He knew what he wanted. It wanted a story. So he told it a story. He poured his pain and grief and pain and loneliness into the hole. He looked back on his life and took all the bad things and all the sad things and filled up the hole with them. He let the pain and grief that had held him in its icy grip for so long, go. But the bad stuff wasn't enough. So he gave his love. The chases through London, the moments in the lab. He gave it all.

John watched in horror as the crack grew slowly wider. A blue light struck Sherlock's chest. I was like the electricity pinning his arms, but was a lighter, icier blue. The whole crack began to glow. I was slowly filling

"Come on Sherlock!" shouted John, somehow knowing that Sherlock was doing something, something that was winning. He heard movement behind him and knew the others had emerged behind him. They started shouting too, encouraging Sherlock. The blue light changed to gold, and the crack convulsed, somehow. The Axonite that had already emerged reared up. If it had a mouth John knew it would have been screaming. Then it was suddenly sucked back into the crack. The crack closed.

It was all over. The golden light shone for a few moments more, and then flickered away. Sherlock crumpled. They raced to him.

"Sherlock?"

"Sherlock can you hear me?"

"Sherlock, its Molly please, wake up!"

At Molly's voice, Sherlock's eyes fluttered and opened. He slowly sat up and said

"We did it"


	19. Chapter 19- How To Be Brave

"Yes, you did it, you idiot" John smiled.

"Come into the TARDIS" called the Doctor, already leaping through the doorway. Helping Sherlock to his feet, they all climbed aboard the Master was waiting for them, still trapped in his holding cell. His eyes widened when he saw Sherlock.

"No, NO! What did you do, no it's not fair!" the holding cell turned black as the TARDIS blocked him off.

"So, what do we do with him?" asked John, his arm around Clara.

"Well, if he was a time lord I would accept him as my responsibility. But he isn't. He is a human with a time lord brain. He will grow old and die. That's why he was helping the Axons. They had absorbed so much time energy; they could have given him a whole new set of regenerations. But now I'm not too sure what to do with him."

"What about the Tesalecta?" suggested Sherlock.

The Doctor stared at Sherlock. "Sherlock you are amazing!" he cried, bounding over, and with no prior warning, kissed Sherlock full on the mouth. He bounded back up to the console, leaving Sherlock looking disgusted, and the others looking amused. The Doctor frowned

"How did you know about the tesalecta?"

"Spoilers"

"How- oh you saw us. And him. But you didn't see yourselves."

"So?" asked John

"So, John, I don't remember us, so therefore it is logical to assume that we were here and not on the TARDIS. And also, they crashed, and I'd rather we didn't." Sherlock sounded annoyed, more like his usual self. The Doctor nodded, and the 3 of them climbed out of the TARDIS. They watched as the TARDIS wheezed and faded away. John looked at Sherlock, worry evident on his face.

"Will they be ok? The Master is a master criminal."

"Yes John, they will be fine. I saw it happen"

"We did it though. You did it" smiled Molly.

Sherlock looked down at the pathologist. He would make this work. Sociopath or no sociopath, he had found someone who made him happy. Someone who completed him. He put an arm around Molly.

"We're going to be ok. We saved the world and we're safe"

"You're half right." Came a voice behind them. They froze. They all knew that voice. "I mean, you did save the world"  
they turned. Jim Moriarty was standing behind them, a horrible smirk on his face.  
"But who said you were safe?"  
His hand was holding a gun

**Hahahahah cliffhanger time! Heads up, I can't update until Thursday at the latest, because I have an insanely busy week this week. Did you really think I would forget about Moriarty? No hahahahah. **

**Ok serious feels coming up, I am not kidding. Also try to check out a new fanfiction I am doing, which will be up in about a week or so, called Tales Of The TARDIS. Don't go looking for it yet, because I haven't written it, but I will tell you at the end of a chapter when I have posted it. **

**Last time I tried to share with you an amazing fanfic, but the link wouldn't work, so just search for outclassed outplayed and outnumbered on google. I swear it will be the best Parent!lock you will ever read. It is certainly the best one I have ever read. **


	20. Chapter20-What's Standing In Front Of Me

**You are going to kill me. And what's even worse I am going away at the weekend so you will probably get the next chapter either tomorrow (if you are very very lucky) or next Tuesday. I know it's awful. And it's a really short chapter too. **

**Just a note, has any one seen star trek into darkness, cos I have seen it twice, and I want someone to share my feels with. Omg he is so brilliant in it!**

**Also, check out my new fanfic, Tales Of The TARDIS, which has a really short into chapter, but I will update it, as soon as I finish this. Also check out my story A Special Moment, which isn't my story at all, but a friends, which I will be posting tonight. I may even post the next chapter tonight, if I can get all my homework done, and type it up!**

"Sherlock I could have been immortal. But you stopped me. Our game has gone on long enough. I am going to kill you. I'll shoot you low, let you die slowly. Then I'll shoot our little friends in front of your dying body, just to see your face."

"Moriarty, you've lost the game. Why carry on" asked John

"Because now you have given me nothing to lose. So killing you all is just fun" he smiled and tightened the trigger.

"Goodbye Mr Holmes"

With a cry John flung himself at Moriarty, and while it wasn't enough to stop him pulling the trigger, the shot went wild, and the gun flew out of his hand, to land at Sherlock's feet. Sherlock snatched it up. John and Moriarty were wrestling on the floor, but John dived out of the way as Sherlock brought up the gun to point at the consulting criminal. Moriaty lay on the floor, panting after his wrestle.

"You won't kill me. I'm too much _fun_" he hissed

"You're wrong" said Sherlock, but before he could fire Moriarty had pulled out another teleport device.

"NO!" Sherlock lunged but Moriarty had already started to fade.

"Seyroea sweetheart" Moriarty fizzed and disappeared, as the whirring of the TARDIS echoed all around. It appeared and the Doctor poked his slightly dishevelled face out.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Sherlock was pacing.

"What happened?" asked the Doctor

"Moriarty." Growled Sherlock "he still had a teleport. He disappeared"

"Oh don't worry" said Clara. "At least he didn't hit any of you. And you were cute when you were a kid, you know that Sherlock."

"c'mon, into the TARDIS" smiled the Doctor. Sherlock turned to lead Molly into the TARDIS, but she wasn't behind him. She was standing near a pile of crates. She was holding them for support, and Sherlock could see her white knuckles. He also observed, her white face, he hand grasping her stomach, and the blood trickling through her fingers. She collapsed, and Sherlock managed to catch her

"No, Molly, please God no!"

"Get her into the TARDIS!" shouted the Doctor, rushing to help.

"Moriarty…lousy shot" Molly gasped, struggling for breath. Her white lab coat was stained with blood.

"No Molly, don't speak, concentrate, please Molly"

Sherlock gathered her up in his arms, and carried her towards and into the TARDIS.


	21. Chapter 21- I have died everyday

**Sorry I thought I posted this before, but evidently I didn't. So now you get this, though the emotional impact is now…not so much. Please review!**

Molly was raced the med-bay. Sherlock laid her gently on the bed. The wound was gaping, spilling blood. Molly was moaning. Sherlock was covered in blood, but he still cradled Molly's head.

"Come on, stay with me Molly" he whispered in her ear

John took one look at Molly and caught the Doctor's eye. The Doctor scanned her, as Sherlock watched, his eyes full of hope. The Doctor shook his head. John put a hand on his friend arm, but Sherlock srugged it off.

"Sherlock, I'm sorry, she's not going to ma-"

"She is going to make it! She is!" Sherlock insisted

"Sherlock" Molly coughed "I've seen enough...dead bodies…to know when… I'm about to become one of them."

"Don't make jokes Molly. Please Molly, you can't leave me"

"Then don't leave me please Sherlock-"

"I love you Molly"

"Wow" she coughed "Sherlock Holmes says he loves me as I lie dying."

"You are not going to die! Doctor help her!"

"I'm sorry" the Doctor's voice was breaking. "I can't, there's nothing I can do"

"Then what is the point of you!" spat Sherlock. "No Molly, please, stay with me. Doctor… you are the captain of this ship yes? Then marry us. Marry me and Molly

"Oh Sherlock…" sighed Molly "all those years… of ignoring me, and suddenly I'm dying and it's all-" she broke off as a fresh wave of pain hit her.

"I'm marrying you" whispered Sherlock "because there will never be anyone else. I love you Molly Hooper, more than anyone else in the world."

"Do you then, Sherlock Holmes take Molly Hooper as your lawful wedded wife?" choked the Doctor, as he tied his bow tie around their clasped hands.

"I do" said Sherlock, trying to be calm, but that's hard to do when tears were streaming down your face.

"And do you Molly Hooper; take Sherlock Holmes as your husband"

"I do" she whispered

"Then you may kiss the bride."

"Mrs Holmes, if I may" said Sherlock, leaning down

"It's Hooper-Holmes, and yes you may" muttered Molly, catching Sherlock's face in her bloodied hands and kissing him gently.

Then her hand fell from his face, as her ragged breathing slowed and stopped. The Doctor fell back against the wall, his head in his hands. John turned and held Clara, who had fallen sobbing onto his shirt. Sherlock gently lowered his wife's head onto the bed. He fell to his knees and bowed his head, his shoulders heaving. And the bloodied body of Molly Hooper lay on the bed, her last smile still on her lips.


	22. Chapter 22- When you lose something

**Heyhey look I've got it up early. Enjoy!**

The atmosphere of grief hung around the TARDIS like a bad smell. Each occupant dealt with is differently. Clara and John found comfort in each other. The doctor and the impossible girl. Like Amy before her, sometimes the adventure was too much, and she needed someone secure and stable in her life. The Doctor found comfort in the TARDIS herself, tinkering with the old girl or reading in the library at regular intervals. That was how he always coped with the pain and guilt he always felt after losing a companion. However, they all slowly moved on. Except for Sherlock. Sherlock was inconsolable, refusing to leave the room where Molly had taken her final breath. He wouldn't move wouldn't eat. He simply sat in a chair, deep in his mind palace. He had given his heart to Molly, and Moriarty had burnt it. His heart was lying dead on the slab in front of him. After 3 days, John and the Doctor found themselves back in that room, and John decided to say something.

"Can't you take the TARDIS back and save her?"

"It's against all laws of time and space. The paradox would be huge"

"But you could?"

"Technically yes, but it would involve the collapse of this time stream. Literally, everything would unhappen. And for the paradox to be sustained, one person would have to bear the brunt of this paradox. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, literally ceasing to exist is worse than dying."

Unknown to either of them, Sherlock had overheard this short conversation. And around it he began to make a plan.

Sherlock opened his eyes for the first time in 5 days. He had a plan. He knew what he had to do. He stood up, a little wobbly on his feet, but he strode purposefully from the room. He had discarded his coat long ago, it being covered with Molly's blood. His top was crusted with dried blood, but his skin was clean and pale. After a week with no food, his face was gaunt and pinched and he felt weaker with every step. He could barely stand, sometimes staggering into the walls for support. He found Clara and John's room first, quietly locking them in. he then headed for the library, where he knew the Doctor would be. The TARDIS kept changing, trying to throw him off course. She knew what he was doing, and she didn't like it. He could feel her in his head. He showed her his memories of Molly, of his wife, of his love, of the first time he realised he loved her. He felt her relent. The door was right up ahead. Sherlock allowed himself a small smile. The locked it. He could hear the Doctor running across the room, and starting to bang on the door.

"Sherlock, no, what are you doing?"

Sherlock didn't reply. Sherlock turned and began to run. He reached the console room almost immediately. He had memorised the controls, having noted exactly how the Doctor had done it the first time he had been in the TARDIS. He felt tugs at his mind. She, the TARDIS, was helping him! He pulled leavers, pressed buttons, looking rather too much like the Doctor for his liking. But he knew where he was going, rather unlike the Doctor. The ship started to shake, and the Doctor burst in, closely followed by John and Clara.

"Sherlock! What are you doing?"

The ship rocketed about.

"Changing the future" Sherlock shouted as he was thrown about "it's called marriage"


	23. Chapter 23-Time stands still

Back in the past Moriarty aimed his gun.

"Goodbye Mr Holmes"

The TARDIS burst into the room, with a large crackle of blue light. John ignored the unusual arrival of the spaceship and charged Moriarty. Sherlock literally flew out of the TARDIS and barrelled into Molly, just as Moriarty pulled the trigger. The bullet hit future-Sherlock in the chest. He didn't have to be a Doctor to know it was fatal

"Sherlock? What?" Molly stammered. She kept glancing between him and past-Sherlock, which had the gun trained on Moriarty, who suddenly fizzed and disappeared. Future-Sherlock sighed in relief. Molly was safe. When he next opened his eyes past-Sherlock was coming over. John looked weary.

"Oh God!" he exclaimed "now there's two of you!" then he saw the wound and his eyes widened "you're hurt!"

"No. stop, don't fuss" future- Sherlock was fading. Not dying, just simply not existing. He looked his younger self in the eye

"You understand" it wasn't a question it was a statement.

"Yes, you are obviously from the future, the way you threw yourself at Molly, suggests an accident that caused her death. The fact that it was this point in time, as well as the fact that you are wearing the same clothes as me suggests that it is the recent future. Does this mean I die here?"

"No" replied future-Sherlock "I will not die, I am ceasing to be. But the fact that Molly is alive will create a paradox. If I tune myself into the TARDIS, which is what I have been doing for the past few days, I will bear the brunt of the temporal explosion and keep the paradox stable"

"You're… you're sacrificing yourself" choked Molly.

"If you want to put it like that. I will have never existed. You won't remember this. The bullet will have missed and you will be alive. That's all I want now. You to be safe"

"But Sherlock-"

" Don't. Just get into the TARDIS" The TARDIS had materialised behind them, the past-TARDIS. The TARDIS that Sherlock had come in had already ceased to be.

"listen to me Molly." Called out future-Sherlock as she turned. She walked back towards him and knelt next to him.

He whispered "I will always and unconditionally love you my Molly Hooper-Holmes"

Her eyes widened, but before she could say anything, John had dragged her into the TARDIS.

Past-Sherlock bent down "I marry Molly Hooper?"

"Not anymore. The paradox will cancel it out. But make sure you do. She's too good to lose"

"I will"

"Now go. And remember I'm giving her the days. The days with you. The days to come. I'm giving you my days. Use them well."

Past-Sherlock smirked "do I really turn into a sentimental idiot?"

"Shut up! Go!"

Future-Sherlock watched as his past self-ran into the TARDIS. He closed his eyes as she dematerialized and retreated to his mind palace. To the room of his memories. Running with John, experimenting in the lab with Molly. He was content, as the white light engulfed him and he ceased to be.

**Did you really think I would kill off Molly!? Nah I would never do that! Virtual hugs and cookies to anyone who can spot the quotes that I have used in this and what episode they are from! Hint: Amy and Rory. I will be finishing up this fanfic very soon (I've only planned 25 chapters) so I will try to end it on a more or less happy note. But that might change depending on reviews!**


	24. 24 -I'll Love You For A Thousand More

**sorry its taken so long. I have had the most manic week ever. this is the penultimate chapter, so i will provide an epilogue to this. **

The atmosphere aboard8 the TARDIS could not have been more different to the aborted timeline. The Doctor took the happy couples to the top romantic destinations in the world. Sherlock rolled his eyes when the Doctor had told them, but then he was Sherlock. They visited Andromeda and Appalachia. They visited Arcadia and 17th century Paris. John could honestly say he had never seen Sherlock happier. He absorbed everything he saw. He made amazing deductions. It was like he was on a case, except the whole time his long fingers held Molly's hand. There was a memorable incident in which the Doctor was looking for his companions. He knocked on the door, but instead of Sherlock, he got a very flustered and rumpled Molly.

"What are you doing in there?" he asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Umm… nothing. Just ummmm talking"

"Oh no. you weren't. Not on my TARDIS!"

Before Molly could stammer out a reply, Sherlock's voice issued from the room.

"Molly, that was excellent! We have to do that again!"

"Sherlock!" hissed Molly, mortified, but shut the door, leaving the Doctor both amused and disgusted. The days flew by and soon became a week. 2 weeks. 2 whole weeks before they even considered going home. In the end all it took was one look, from Sherlock to John that showed that he wanted to go home. They talked about it, the 4 companions. Clara couldn't leave the Doctor, she wouldn't discuss it, but there was stuff that she and the Doctor had to do, knowledge that they had to find. She promised John that she would come back to him. John didn't want to go, but Clara knew that Sherlock wouldn't leave without John, and she was also perceptive enough to know that Sherlock, despite all the wonders of the universe, missed life at 221b. They knew that this really wasn't the life for them. On the last day, the Doctor took them to the birth of the solar system, much to Sherlock annoyance. Molly taught Sherlock the planets and they kissed as Jupiter formed. For all his faults, Sherlock was actually quite a romantic. Then as if no time had passed at all, they arrived home.

The TARDIS materialized in 221B Baker Street, less than 2 hours after they had left. Sherlock leapt happily onto the sofa

"ahhh" he sighed "home at last!"

"There's no place like home" agreed John "are you sure you won't stay" he added to Clara

"I can't. The Doctor doesn't like endings. But I will be back, as sure as Sherlock will be on a case within the week. I will return. I've just found out who I am. There are still answers out there for me to find. I need to understand"

She kissed him gently, and Sherlock rolled his eyes

"Could you please keep you affections to a minimum?"

Clara laughed

"What about you and Molly?" she sniggered

"That's different" he retorted "I'm involved"

To an outsider, they would have heard an explosion of sniggers, giggles and gwarffs, as Clara, John and the Doctor tried to stop themselves exploding into hysterics. Neither Molly nor Sherlock looked impressed.

"We have to leave now, but we will be back" said the Doctor as he stepped into the TARDIS "there may be a few side effects from the time energy you absorbed, Sherlock, but nothing too major."

The TARDIS materialised away, as John watched. Molly sat on the sofa next to Sherlock. His lips twitched and he squeezed her hand. _Sociopath or not, we will make this work_ he thought _I will make this work. _

And they did


	25. Chapter 25- One Step Closer

4 months later

The TARDIS materialized in 221b baker, blowing away the dust on the tables. The Doctor stepped out and frowned. The flat was almost exactly as he had left it, but there was definitely something wrong. There was a thick layer of dust on all of Sherlock's things, but none on John laptop, or on the many half empty cups of tea that were scattered around the room.

"John? Sherlock?"

There was a newspaper on the table and the Doctor walked over tentatively, and picked it up, but before he could read it, there was a creak behind him. He spun around. A thin, gaunt, limping figure came down the hall towards him. The figure moved into the light, and the Doctor gasped in horror. It was John. But it wasn't. This John was different from the one they had left behind, hugely so. He still looked like John, but the way he carried himself, he seemed to have turned into an old man overnight. His hair looked course and brittle, and there was a thick layer of stubble on his chin. His eyes had deep purple rings under them and his clothes hung off his thin body. His face was skeleton like, thin and pale. This wasn't John. This was a shadow of John. It wasn't even a shadow of John. It was like someone had come and drained his very life and soul, the very thing that kept him living.

"John?"

"Doctor" his voice was a hoarse croak, like he had been crying. And looking at him, the Doctor didn't need Sherlock to know that he probably had.

"What happened? Where's Sherlock?"

John froze and the Doctor could see the pain on his face etched into every wrinkle. He opened and closed his mouth several times, before finally pointing at the newspaper in the Doctor's hands. He looked down and finally read the headline.

SUICIDE OF FAKE GENIUS

Underneath was a picture of Sherlock

"Oh God" was all the Doctor could manage, as he sat down heavily on the dust covered sofa.

"What…what happened? Why is he a fake? He can't, he just can't"

John looked on the verge of a mental breakdown

"It…it was Moriarty. He managed to make everyone believe that sh-sher… that he had hired an actor to play Moriarty. He phoned me while he was on the r-roof"

John took a deep breath, and tried to compose himself

"He told me to tell everyone he was a f-fake."

John closed his eyes and a single tear trickled down his cheek

"John, I'm sorry I'm so so-"

"Where the BLOODY HELL WERE YOU!?" John shouted, interrupting him. The pain in his voice had now turned into anger.

"John-"

"No! You have a time machine! You could have stopped this!" his voice cracked "you sitting there, the last of your kind, well I am the last of mine, the last consulting detective's because there should be two! There should be me and him!" tears that started as a trickle now turned into a flood!

"All I want" John screamed "IS TO SEE HIS STUPID FACE! My Sherlock! You took HIM! YOU COULD HAVE STOPPED THIS! ALL OF THIS! You could have stopped the nightmares that come .NIGHT! You could have brought Clara back! Save him! That's what you always do!"

"John- I'm sorry, I can't save everyone"

"THEN WHAT IS THE POINT OF YOU!" John screamed, and then stopped, panting, exhausted by his outburst. He seemed to collapse in on himself, though he remained standing, he hunched over like an old man, his hands cradling his face. The Doctor started towards him, tears in his own eyes, when Clara poked her head out of the TARDIS.

"What's all this shouting about? And why isn't Sherlock involved, normally he's first in line for this sort of-"she broke off when she saw John.

_Oh God _John thought. There she was, with her beautiful smile and loving eyes. Clara's smile had frozen on her face. John slowly raised his tear stained face.

"John!" she gasped and ran straight for him with such force that they both fell to the floor. As they tangled together on the floor, the Doctors mind was reeling. Sherlock couldn't be dead, he just couldn't. He was cleverer than that. Clara and John both came up for air. He had to admire her. She still had no idea why John was like this, yet she had already made it her mission to help him and to comfort him. She helped him onto the sofa, cradling him like a child. The Doctor handed her the newspaper, and as she read it, her eyes filled with tears. The emotions were etched onto her face- fear. Horror. Anger. Pain.

"Molly?" she asked finally. She looked towards the Doctor for answers, but it was John who spoke. "They-they stayed together, you saw them it was a match made in heaven" he took another rattling breath "when he- when he fell, Molly was distraught. She's like a ghost, gave up her job after performing h-his autopsy. She went travelling I think, in Europe. To get away from it all"

The Doctor frowned. "That's not like Molly. She loved her job. She gave up travelling with me so she could finish her degree."

"Loved, Doctor, loved! How could she stay in that place? Those memories…"

"He wouldn't, he just wouldn't" the Doctor muttered. Then suddenly his eyes widened, all the pieces slotting into place

"Oh" he grinned manically

"What's so funny?" asked Clara.

"Oh it's perfect, don't you see? Oh he really is a genius!"

"Doctor-"warned Clara

"Hush. I am about to pin all my hopes on a very stupid and ridiculous idea. I am also about to do something incredibly stupid, that might just work!"

He stepped into the TARDIS and they watched as it materialised.

If someone had been standing outside of St Bart's autopsy room, they would have seen and heard the following things, in this order

The small sobs of Molly Hooper, as she prepared to open up the man she loved.

Then, a golden light seeping from under the door.

The clatter of instruments, as Molly dropped them

The inexplicable whirring sound and a gasp.

A voice rabbling off nonsense about 'time energy' and 'regeneration' and 'absorbed'

3 people laughing, the most noticeable of all was a deep bass

Then the whirring sound again.

Then if someone was to walk in, they wouldn't have found anyone in there at all.

**this is the last chapter of the black death! can you guess how Sherlock survived? thank you sooooo much to everyone who has reviewed and followed and favrioted and read. I can't list you all but thank you all sooooooooooo much for all the support you have given me in this fic. you have all given me the confidence to carry on with my writing, so follow me as an author, and i promise you i will be writing lots and lots of one shots, and possibly 2 new series's, called tales of the TARDIS and Molly Hoopers imaginary friend! so search for them and enjoy**

**once again I love you all so much for being such lovely readers, and for supporting me while writing this!**


End file.
